There is no free medicine in Bulgaria, but there is insurance medicine. The principle is the same as everywhere else: citizens (or their employers) pay monthly contributions, and in the case of going to the doctor, they pay only part of the cost of treatment. Such contributions are called "zdravni osigurovka". In this case, insurance is handled by the National Health Insurance Kasa or simply Zdravna Kasa or NZOK. Public clinics and many private specialists cooperate with NZOK. This means that part of the services they provide is paid not from the pockets of patients, but from the funds of Zdravna Kasa. Pharmacies that sell medicines on preferential prescriptions can also cooperate with the organization. In most cases, the insurance company pays for treatment only partially. Some procedures, for example, dental prosthetics, are performed only at the expense of patients. However, unlike conventional insurance for foreigners, the NZOC covers the treatment of chronic diseases, planned surgical interventions, and certain dental procedures. To use the services of the NZOK, you need to have an EGN – a single civil number. Every Bulgarian citizen has this number, as well as foreigners who have been granted the status of Permanent Residence or Residence Permit. In addition, it is necessary to register in the insurance system and pay monthly health benefits to Osigurovka.

How can a foreigner be registered with the Health Fund?

After receiving the EGN, or rather, the permanent residence card, where this number is indicated, you need to go to the nearest territorial office of the National Agency for Come, i.e. the tax office. There you should present a copy of the document from the migration service on obtaining a permanent residence permit in Bulgaria. This paper indicates the date of issuance of the permit – it is from this date that foreigners must pay contributions to the insurance system. Thus, by the time you apply to the NPA, there is usually already a debt that needs to be paid. For foreigners working in Bulgaria, as well as for working Bulgarians, the employer pays osigurovka. The rest must fill out a declaration that they will pay contributions on their own. The amount of payments depends on the salary. The unemployed, as well as those who receive the minimum wage, pay 22.40 BGN per month in 2019. You can make payments monthly or immediately for a long period, but if you allow the appearance of debt, then you will no longer have to count on medical care. You can check your status on the NRA website by the EGN number.

Lichen Lekar

After the UGN is entered into the database, you can be assigned to a personal doctor. This is a therapist who issues certificates, sick leaves and referrals to specialists. In some cases, such doctors go to home calls. Initial assignment to a personal doctor is possible at any time, but it is allowed to change doctors only twice a year: in June and December. To be attached to a doctor, you need to come to him with a personal card and documents from the NAP. After that, the doctor will register a new patient, give him a special book for visiting a dentist ("zdravoosiguritelna book") and, if necessary, refer him to specialists. From now on, a patient with any ailments, with the exception of dental problems, must first go to a personal doctor, and he will issue the necessary referrals to specialists. A personal doctor is paid 2.9 leva for an appointment (pensioners – 1 leva). The same amount will have to be paid for Appointment with a specialist, if you come to him with a referral. If you come directly to an ophthalmologist or endocrinologist without first receiving a referral, then you will have to pay the full cost of the appointment, in this case, the NZOK does not cover the treatment.

Features of treatment for children

If adults pay at least symbolic amounts for visiting doctors, then for children it is completely free. You don't need to pay an osigurovka until the age of 18 either. Moreover, students are also exempt from this obligation in some cases. At the same time, some procedures will be paid for the youngest. A complete list of paid and free services can be found out from the attending physician. Not everyone knows that foreign children can also be assigned to personal doctors. This is necessary for placement in a school or kindergarten, for vaccination, for the treatment of diseases. Interestingly, this process is not regulated by any documents and orders, so the success of attaching a child to a personal doctor depends on the competence of local specialists. Often foreign children are denied this service, but some manage to get attached. What do you need to do for this? First of all, come to the territorial branch of the NRA and explain the situation. You will need to show the permission card (Residence permit), perhaps a passport will also come in handy. And then it all depends on whether the employees of a particular branch of the NRA had to face such cases. If so, then the child's personal number (personal number of a foreigner) will be entered into the database. If not, then they can refuse. Some do otherwise and go directly to the therapists with a request to assign the child to a personal doctor. In this case, there are also options. Some doctors draw up the documents themselves, while others, not knowing how to do it, cannot help foreigners in any way.